08/24, 5:00pm

1920x1080 resolution

Sanyo has debuted the LP-Z2000, a new high-definition LCD projector that offers a 1920×1080 resolution. The projector features a contrast ratio of 15,000:1 and has a light output of 1,200 lumens. It also sports a 2X optical zoo, uses a 165W UHP lamp and a minimum projection distance of 3 meters. Sanyo has built 3D color management technology into the projector, and it offers HDMI 1.3 input with support for DeepColor. There are also component (RCA), S-Video, and analog inputs. The new projector weighs a hefty 7.3 kilograms, and is about .4 meters wide. The LP-Z2000 carries an estimated ship date of November 1st, and will be priced at 378,000 Yen, or about $3,200.

08/24, 4:55pm

Blackberry vs. iPhone

RIMM is developing a technology that will allow its Blackberry smartphones to transfer files wirelessly between the device and a PC which works like the company's BlackBerry Enterprise Server, according to one industry analyst. Gus Papageorgiou of Scotia Capital believes anyone who has an MP3 player and a mobile phone is a target for the new service, requiring that BlackBerry users install software on a PC to gain access to RIM's network operating center. That center provides a link to the BlackBerry itself, according to the analyst, and would allow users to organize digital media in a way similar to Apple's iTunes software.

08/24, 3:30pm

Best Buy X360 Core HDMI

Best Buy today accidentally confirmed the existence of an Xbox 360 Core model with HDMI through an entry at the retailer's website. The new model is incorrectly tagged with the $350 price and product shot of the standard 20GB model but has been given a new SKU and a clearly different name, suggesting a different model altogether. No apparent changes have been made to specifications, though the new model is not necessarily connected to the Xbox 360 Arcade system rumored for later in the year that would include a memory card and Xbox Live Arcade games.

08/24, 3:20pm

MicPortPro USB preamp

CEntrance has announced the shipment of the MicPort Pro, low noise USB mic pre-amp that plugs into any XLR microphone and adds USB connectivity, allowing it to act as a digital recording device. The device offers 24-bit/96kHz performance, 48V phantom power, zero latency monitoring, loud headphone output, and knobs for input and output level. It also works without a driver, and CEntrance claims full compatibility with a wide range of recording apps (those that support USB audio input) under Mac OS X and Windows XP/Vista. Stereo and multi-track recording is also possible with MicPort Pro thanks to the CEntrance Universal Driver that aggregates input from multiple MicPort Pro units with a latency of 6 milliseconds. The device ships with a 6' USB cable and a carrying pouch and carries a price of $125.

08/24, 3:10pm

iPhone software unlock

Hackers claim to have successfully unlocked Apple's iPhone without modifying any hardware. The iPhoneSIMfree.com team say they have cracked Apple's iPhone SIM lock system, according to Engadget, and have proven their claim with a working unlocked handset. The unlocked phone used a T-Mobile SIM card in place of AT&T's default card, allowing the users to make calls, send text messages, and check email on an iPhone using their chosen T-Mobile service provider. Apple and AT&T launched the iPhone under an exclusive contract designed to seal customers into two-year service plans with AT&T, preventing iPhone owners from using other carriers.

08/24, 3:10pm

Viliv X2 AIO

Viliv on Friday added a new, top-end media player and navigation hybrid to its lineup through the X2 All-in-One. The 4.3-inch display is said to be ideal for videos and supports DivX, WMV, and XviD clips stored on flash memory; in Korea, a T-DMB tuner captures live digital TV and gets help from an electronic programming guide. But the device also serves as a full-fledged GPS, Viliv boasts: in addition to full maps with points of interest, a perspective view gives a hint of lane changes, tunnels, and other road details ahead. A 600MHz AMD Alchemy CPU is powerful enough to support varying levels of picture-in-picture that allow mobile TV alongside the map view.

08/24, 2:35pm

BB 8130 for Sprint in Nov

The enhanced, CDMA-based BlackBerry 8130 should be available from Sprint in November, Boy Geniusclaims while citing a photo and leaked details. The slim smartphone, nicknamed the Pearl 2, should arrive roughly in time for the American Thanksgiving holiday in November and will be fundamentally identical in hardware to the Verizon model. Its 2-megapixel camera, EVDO Internet access, and GPS (in place of AT&T's Wi-Fi) will be virtually identical. Which of Sprint's proprietary services would be available on the new Pearl is unknown.

08/24, 2:20pm

250GB Disk Mini

Formac has bumped up the capacity of its flagship portable hard drive, the Disk Mini. Now offering 250GB of capacity (80GB, 120GB and 160GB versions are also available), the drive is bus-powered and includes a shock absorption system designed to protect internals in the case of a fall or other impact. All capacities use a 5,400rpm drive mechanism that Formac claims can transfer data at up to 15MB per second over USB 2.0. The units ship with a 2-year warranty. Prices range from £60 (about $120) for the 80GB model to £95 (about $190) for the 250GB version.

08/24, 2:05pm

CableLabs DTCP-IP

Cable standard-bearer CableLabs has just approved a new format it says will let users finally translate cable TV to IP-based networks without using special converting hardware. Dubbed DTCP-IP, the protocol will allow a cable receiver box or other equipment to stream video across a home Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection to computers and portable devices. The system will use digital rights management to copy-protect clips but will use the more dynamic AACS system used by Blu-Ray and HD DVD; while this will allow content producers to revoke access, it will also allow selective copying if a show provider agrees, CableLabs notes.

08/24, 1:30pm

More Dell XPS M1730 Info

Enhanced details of Dell's XPS M1730 have surfaced online, courtesy of leaks from a reportedly separate source. The gaming notebook is still slated to include a single graphics chip in default trim but is now set to include dual GeForce 8700M GT chipsets in SLI, making it one of the first notebooks to double-up on the advanced 3D hardware. The PC should also take advantage of its dual drive bays to offer solid-state hard drives (likely up to 64GB) alongside larger-capacity but slower rotating disks. In all cases, a small LCD ahead of the display should monitor system CPU/memory usage, and users can add a new Ageia PhysX mobile chipset to offload physics processing in supporting games.

08/24, 1:00pm

Trekstor i.Beat cody

Trekstor has revealed that it will release a quartet of new i.Beat media players at next week's IFA technology show in Berlin: the blaxx, cody, emo, and sonix (pictured) will all be capable of playing video and FM radio regardless of size, the company says. The full-size cody will be the company's large, movie-focused player with a 3.5-inch display, support for AVI clips, and an SD card slot to extend the built-in memory or to view photos directly from a camera. Its smaller parallel, the sonix, shrinks the display to just 2.4 inches but keeps AVI and photo viewing support.

08/24, 12:35pm

New iPods September 5th?

Apple may unveil a new line of iPods as soon as the first week of September, according to one report. A photograph of what industry watchers say could be a new line of iPod nanos surfaced earlier this week, but some sources that published the photos were asked to remove them by the Cupertino-basd company's legal team. Engadget reports that Apple plans to unveil new iPods on September 5th, citing sources within the company while pointing to the unusual chosen date for a special event. Apple typically holds such events on Tuesdays, but the coming holiday weekend may have served as incentive for the company to reschedule the day of its presumed special event.

08/24, 11:20am

Nokia Recall Worth 172m

Nokia's unprecedented 46 million battery recall could be very costly for its supplier Matsushita, the cellphone maker revealed today. Though initially at odds with each other over responsibility and the ultimate cost, both firms have agreed that Matsushita (responsible for the Panasonic label) will shoulder most of the costs of replacing the flammable batteries and is estimated to pay a minimum of $86 million and as much as $172 million depending on the number of batteries replaced as part of the program. The figure is high but is far lower than what local experts had anticipated, as some predicted Matsushita could be responsible for as much as $432 million and seriously damage the company's overall health.

08/24, 10:50am

LG VX10000 and VX8800

Two mystery LG phones destined for Verizon have been confirmed in early form, courtesy of two FCC filings made public late this week. Though confidentiality terms prevent photos and most other telltale signs from being leaked, the VX10000 is most likely a sequel to the enV (also known as the VX9900, pictured) and is reportedly thinner than the relatively think enV and could also add a large, touch-sensitive screen to the inside of the phone.

08/24, 10:10am

Denon S-102 and S-302

AV equipment maker Denon finished its week today with a pair of all-in-one, 2.1-channel home theaters uniquely connected to digital devices. In addition to playing DVDs and music CDs, the pictured S-302 includes both Ethernet and Wi-Fi networking; any device that fits the DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) protocol can share JPEG photos as well as music in AAC, FLAC, MP3, WAV, and WMA formats. The system also includes a USB port and a bundled iPod dock that plays music from the Apple device or generic storage with basic control.

08/24, 9:30am

Creative TravelSound i50

Creative on Friday unveiled its first speaker system made just for the second-generation iPod shuffle. The TravelSound i50 mounts the Apple player on top of a one-piece, 1.4-watt stereo speaker system that includes a keychain attachment for clipping the speaker to a backpack or a bag. To help guard the shuffle in its exposed position, the i50 includes a plastic cover that protects the player from scratches and rain while exposing the controls. A mini-USB port also turns the speakers into an impromptu dock for synchronizing and charging the small iPod directly from the speaker system.

08/24, 8:40am

Google Phone in Fortnight

The frequently rumored Google phone could be announced in as little as two weeks, claim Indian sources familiar with the search engine giant's press release efforts. An official release would come within a "fortnight" and would initially release the phone simultaneously in Europe and the US. Indian companies have recently begun talks but could potentially see the phone carried by one of multiple networks in the country, including the state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam as well as Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Essar. Google is reportedly also negotiating Google Talk and search features for carriers in the area, though this is actually less certain than the phone announcement, according to the sources.